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At IMB, we explore the molecular biology of the nucleus with an overarching focus on gene regulation, epigenetics & genome stability

University Medical Center (UMC) Mainz

Maria Felicia Basilicata  Christian Behl  Benedikt Berninger  Luciana Berod  Tobias Bopp  Andreas Daiber  Sven Danckwardt  Carsten Deppermann  Stephan Grabbe  Thomas Hofmann  Thomas Kindler  Daniela Kramer  Daniela Krause  Dilja Krueger-Burg  Michael Kühn  Beat Lutz  Johannes Mayer  Wolfram Ruf  Katrin Schäfer  Susann Schweiger  Natalia Soshnikova  Tim Sparwasser  Oliver Tüscher  Sara Vieira-Silva  Ari Waisman  Philipp Wild  Jennifer Winter  Fatemeh Zare-Shahneh 

Translational Vascular Biology

The dysfunction of endothelial and smooth muscle cells to control vascular homeostasis plays a central role for cardiovascular disease processes, including atherosclerosis, thrombosis or ischemia. My group is interested in the signaling pathways in endothelial and smooth mucels cells that underlie the non-resolution of thrombi in the venous system, focusing on TGFβ signaling and its control by phosphatases, and how misregulation promotes thromboinflammation and fibrotic remodeling. We also study the role of vasoactive factors released from erythrocytes and how they alter the phenotype of vascular mural cells.

We use genetically engineered mice and mouse models of cardiovascular disease (atherosclerosis, arterial and venous thrombosis, peripheral ischemia) to determine the role of candidate genes. For mechanistic studies, we employ primary cells from mice and human donors and study them using RNA-sequencing, proteomics, immunofluorescence microscopy and functional assays. We validate our findings in biomaterial (plasma, tissue specimens) obtained from patients, in collaboration with clinical partners and the Tissue BioBank at the University Medical Center Mainz.

Research website

Positions held

  • Since 2013: W2 professorship ‘Translational Vascular Biology’, Department of Cardiology, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz
  • 2008 - 2013:Associate professor, Department of Cardiology and Pulmonary Medicine, University Medical Center, Georg-August University Göttingen
  • 2002 - 2008: Junior professor (W1) for ‘Atherosclerosis Research’, Department of Cardiology and Pulmonary Medicine, University Medical Center, Georg-August University Göttingen
  • 2000 - 2002: Group leader, Department of Cardiology and Pulmonary Medicine, University Medical Center, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen
  • 1998 - 2000: Research associate, Department of Vascular Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
  • 1996 - 1998: Clinical trainee, Department of Internal Medicine IV (Nephrology), Albert-Ludwigs University Freiburg

Education

  • 2004: Habilitation and venia legendi, Experimental Internal Medicine, University Medical Center, Georg-August University Göttingen
  • 1995: MD thesis, Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Ruprecht-Karls University Heidelberg
  • 1988 - 1995: Medical School, Ruprecht-Karls University Heidelberg

Selected publications by Katrin Schäfer

Zifkos K, Bochenek ML, Gogiraju R, Robert S, Pedrosa S, Kiouptsi K, Moiko K, Wagner M, Mahfoud F, Poncelet P, Münzel T, Ruf W, Reinhardt C, Panicot-Dubois L, Dubois C, Schäfer K. (2024) Endothelial PTP1B deletion promotes VWF exocytosis and venous thromboinflammation.Circ Res 134: e93-e111. Link

Bochenek ML, Leidinger C, Rosinus NS, Gogiraju R, Guth S, Hobohm L, Jurk K, Mayer E, Münzel T, Lankeit M, Bosmann M, Konstantinides S, Schäfer K. (2020) Activated endothelial TGFβ1 signaling promotes venous thrombus non-resolution in mice via endothelin-1: potential role for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension.Circ Res 126: 162-188. Link

Tziakas DN, Chalikias G, Pavlaki M, Kareli D, Hubert A, Stamoulis P, Drosos I, Kikas P, Mikroulis D, Giatromanolaki A, Georgiadis GS, Konstantinou F, Argyriou C, Münzel T, Konstantinides SV, Schäfer K. (2019) Erythrocyte membranes actively promote vascular calcification: possible role of erythocyte-derived nitric oxide. Circulation 39: 2032-2048. Link

Hubert A, Bochenek ML, Schütz E, Gogiraju R, Münzel T, Schäfer K. (2017) Selective deletion of leptin signaling in endothelial cells enhances neointima formation and phenocopies the vascular effects of obesity in mice.Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 37: 1683-1697. Link

Gogiraju R, Schroeter MR, Bochenek ML, Hubert A, Münzel T, Hasenfuss G, Schäfer K. (2016) Endothelial deletion of protein tyrosine phosphatase-1B protects against pressure overload-induced heart failure in mice.Cardiovasc Res 111: 204-216. Link